Boston Globe Sends The Horse Boy Film to the Glue Factory

No one wants to say that a movie about two parents’ wish to alleviate their son’s autism is a bad idea. But when that wish produces an arduous trek across Mongolia in search of a shaman and when the movie about that trek is called “The Horse Boy,’’ my eyebrows go up. And up they stayed for most of this well-meaning but trying documentary. Parents of autistic children might recognize more than a bit of themselves in Rupert Isaacson and his wife, Kristin Neff, and their struggle to find some tranquillity for their 6-year-old, Rowan. Traditional medical treatments haven’t done much to reduce the intensity of Rowan’s tantrums. But Isaacson takes a detour from what most parents might try... Read more at Boston.com

The Seattle Times was a bit kinder to the movie:  ...Resolutely unvarnished ("I didn't expect an urban slum," Isaacson remarks on arriving in the capital city, Ulan Bator) and astonishingly intimate, "The Horse Boy" chronicles a couple in emotional and physical extremity.

Though experts are on hand — including Dr. Simon Baron-Cohen, a Cambridge University psychologist — to tell us how little they know about autism, the film is not a primer on this heartbreaking condition. Instead it recounts a deeply personal, highly subjective and inarguably thought-provoking story of one family's quest for a certain kind of peace.

Comments

[Lynn]

Seattle Times--"Though experts are on hand — including Dr. Simon Baron-Cohen, a Cambridge University psychologist — to tell us how little they know about autism... LOL. How embarrasing for the "experts".

[Cherry Sperlin Misra]

In India , almost no one is using biomed treatments yet, so we have to look for other means of achieving improvement in autistic kids. I read of one study,(sorry I cant recall where it was done) in which it was found that brain cells in rats would replicate when they were placed in new environments. If we apply that to autistic kids, we see that something like horseback riding could be a great way to stimulate growth of new brain cells.And imagine- taking a child to Mongolia- airplanes/airports/ new hotel to stay in /new outdoor environment ! I tell the parents of autistic kids- "Get him out of the house. Take him to new places. A home is a very boring place" Actually, come to think of it, that has been my approach all along for the NT kids too ! Get them out - Take them to somewhere new.!

[Tiffani]

I found it to be a validating and inspiring film.

Validating in the sense that "it recounts a deeply personal, highly subjective and inarguably thought-provoking story of one family's quest for a certain kind of peace." It touches on the trials, the tribulations, the constant self questioning and shares that with the world in hopes of the world grasping a better comprehension.

Inspiring in the sense that this is a family who was literally willing and (capable) to travel to the ends of the earth for their son.

As parents of auties, we are not all going to be heading to Mongolia, but we certainly look for every possible option available that will work for our individual child. We go to great lengths to fight the battles...the vaccine debate, the environmental issues, the issues of restraint and seclusion, etc...so, proverbially, we are going to the ends of the earth for the betterment of all of our children.

I do wish that more was shown on the amazing relationship between autistic children and horses. My son has been involved in therapeutic horseback riding for a little over a year....and it has been an amazingly therapeutic experience for my son. Here is a testimony to his progression: http://eamonsjourney.blogspot.com/2009/11/eamon-is-progressing-into-vaulting-with.html

[Benedetta]

Most of you on here have stated that you never saw any autistic kids when you attended school.
That is not my case. In the 1960's Walter was one out of 800 students from first grade to seniors. All the teachers said that he was the only one of his kind.

He liked me, and made a point to say to me every time I passed his desk "You are as slow as Christmas"

He never spoke other than to mimic some one that I fear might have been some what abusive to him at home.

When we reached the ninth grade that abusive person (his father) left his mother and little brother with out a penny of money.

They moved into a little one room block house just up the road from me. His brother said what they missed the most about their old life was not their father but a horse farm they lived next to. Walter's brother said Walter was a natual around horses. All I had was a little half pony, not much of what Walter was use to. But he spent more time with it than I did.

When we graduated from highschool, Walter was able to get a job as a groom at one of the biggest race horse farms in Lexington KY. As a matter of fact he was head groom, they said he was a rarity (and they meant it in a good way).

Something about animals maybe they have learned not to depend so much on the spoken word and are more sensitive to non verbal language.

[Jake Crosby]

That film will be shown at Brandeis University for Autism Awareness Week this Tuesday, at 9PM, in the Golding Auditorium. Optional donations to the Horse Boy Foundation will also be collected.